Draft:The Exit 8

This article already exists in the Mainspace: The Exit 8

The Exit 8 (8番出口) is a walking simulation game developed by an individual that started distribution started on Steam on November 29, 2023.

Gameplay
The player is trapped in an endless underground passage, aiming for "Exit 8".

The underground passageway is connected in an L-shape, with a passageway with a numbered wall-hanging sign guiding the exit, a long passageway lined with posters and doors, and a passageway that curves at right angles to connect them. From the opposite direction of the long hallway, a middle-aged man, who had also wandered, came walking out of nowhere.

Strange phenomena (anomalies) may occur in the underground passageway, and if you discover something unusual, you must turn back and proceed in the opposite direction, or if nothing happens, you must continue without turning back. If you proceed correctly, the number on the exit guide sign will be added, and when it reaches number 8, if you proceed correctly, you will be able to proceed to the exit stairs, and if you make even one mistake, you will return to number 0. After safely proceeding down the exit stairs, the second lap will begin, where a sign will be posted indicating the number of unencountered anomalies (if you notice and turn back, it will be determined as an encounter).

Development
The developer, KOTAKE CREATE (hereinafter referred to as Kotake Notokeke), had been developing another work for several years, but had never released it to the public, so he decided to release an easy work first and spent several months working on it. In an interview with Game*Spark, he reflected that the idea of ​​a game that could be played with was the impetus for the development of this work. Kotakenotokeke's other motivations include being fascinated by the eeriness of underground passages, wanting to create a looping game, and playing ``I'm on Observation Duty,'' where anomalies are detected using surveillance cameras. He mentioned that he noticed that spot-the-differences and horror go well together. In addition to ``I'm on Observation Duty, Kotakenotokeke cites loops such as ``P.T. and ``Twelve Minutes as influences, as well as ``The Backrooms and ``Liminal Space.''.

However, Kotakenotokeke also said that he had a hard time coming up with a game system because he wanted to avoid using the same system as "I'm on Observation Duty," and that it would be possible to search for abnormalities even in looping places. This realization led to its current form, which had the added benefit of reducing work costs.

Reception
This game sold over 30,000 copies in the first day of its release on Steam, making it a huge hit for an indie game. Some of them have even started working on RTAs. A number of people outside Japan have also been posting videos of themselves playing this game.

In addition to posting fan art of player characters, there were also reproductions using character customization features from other works. On the other hand, there have also been cases where fake products have appeared on the App Store, which is not covered by the supply. Similar works have also begun to appear, such as ``Station 5,'' where you walk to check for abnormalities on trains.

It was announced on December 31, 2023 that a sequel to Exit 8 is being developed. In this work, fictitious advertisements were pasted, but with the production of the sequel, advertisements are being solicited from corporations and individuals